Traffic signal



Nap'ch 30 1926.

, R. ASMITH TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed April l, 1925 Patented Mar. 30, 1926.V

UNITEDv` STATES RICHARD SMITH, OF Y'UMA, .ARIZOA.

TRAFFIG SIGNAL.

Application led April l, 1951.5.l Serial No. 19,850.

To all whom t may concern:

B'e it known that I, RICHARD SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yuma, in .the county of Yuma and State of Arizona, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traffic Signals, of which the following is a specification.

An object is to make an improved traffic signal, mount one of the signals upon each side of a motor vehicle and operate the signals from the steering wheel.

l vAnother object 'is to make an improved traic signal adapted to be mounted upon a motor vehicleJ and to show the signal indications forwardly, backwardly and outward- 1y.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawing and specilication. The invention consists of the novel features herein shown, described and claimed. `The drawings illustrate the invention.:

- shield.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the traiic signalsV as seen looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, parts being ybroken away and shown in section, and the signal being detached from the wind shield frame.

-A larged scale looking in the same direction' Fig. 3 is'a vertical sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and on a plane parallel with Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation upon an ento the electric system o the motor vehicle and controlled by switches mounted on the steering wheel. vl The details of constructionl and operation are as follows: v

f The traflic signals 1 and 2 are substantiall; alike, the signal 1 being mounted upon t e left hand wind shield post 3 and the signal 2 being mounted upon the right hand wind shield post 4. The clamping plate 5 isl concave-convex and adapted to fit one side of the post 3 and the clamping plate 6 vis concaVo-convex and adapted to fit the other side of the )ost 3. rigid supporting arm 7 extends rom the clamping plate 5 and is channel shaped in cross section as shown-in Fig. 5. The loose varm 8 extends from the clamping plate 6 and is channel shaped in cross section, the channel of the arm S'itting within a channel of the arm 7 to hold the clamping' plates 5 and 6 in alinement. The clamping plates 5 and 6A extend L,some distance up 'and down and are connected' by'wing nut screws -9 and 10, the screws being between the clamping plates and 6 and the channelsof the arms 7 and 8 so that when the screws are tight# ened the channels will be drawn together and then the plates 5 and 6 will be drawn togetherto grip the post 3.

Attaching flanges 11 and v 12 extend upwardly and downwardlyv from the outer end of the supporting arm 7 and the back plate 13 is secured to the Hanges 11 and 12 by rivets 14. The back plate 13 is rectangular in elevation and -forms 'the inner side of the signal. The upper head 14 is formed 80 integral withA the upper -end of the back plate 13 and the lower head 15 is formed integral with the lower end of the back plate ,y 13,'the heads 14 and 15 being substantially square in plan.- "'85 Ring flanges 16 andv 17 are stamped and drawn from the centers of the heads-14 and 15 and extendrdownwardly and upwardly respectively. Lamp sockets 18 and 19A are mounted in the flanges 16 and 17 and lamps 20 and 21 are mounted in the sockets.` Preferably one point lamps are Yused and are grounded by not being insulated upon the framework. 'Spring contacts 22 and 23 are mounted upon the screwsv 24 and 25,v inserted through the heads 14 and 15 and insulated therefrom, and the free ends of the contacts 22 and 23 engage the points of the lamps20 and 21. "Wires 26 and 27 are attached to the screws 24 and 25 and lead through openings in the back plate 13 and' through the space 28 between the channels 7 and 8 and then downwardly along the post 3.

A partition 29. is mounted halfway bc` tween the heads 14 and 15 and fixed to the back yplate 13 to'form a division between the light chamber 30 and the light chamber 31. "fTheposts 32 and 33 are inserted be-.//V tween the heads 14 and 15 and/ secured/t U0 lits between the posts 32 and 34. A similar flange` 38| extends downwardly from the outer side of the head 14 and fits between the posts 34 and 35, and a thirdftlange 39 extends downwardly from the rear edge of the head 14 and lits between the posts 33 and 35 and the ends of the flanges 37, 38 and v39 are welded or brazed to the post. r1`he head 15 is connected to the lower ends of the posts 32, 33, 34 and 35 in the same vmanner as the head 14, so as to make a lsubstantial frame, square in plan and rectangular in elevation. rlhe posts 32 and 34 are grooved upon the confronting faces immediately outside of the flange 37 and the glass plate 40 slides downwardly into these grooves. 1n a like manner the confronting faces of the posts 34 and 35 are grooved and-the outer glass plate 41 slides downwardly into these grooves and the confronting faces of posts 33 and 35 are grooved and therear glass plate 42 slides downwardly into these grooves.

The top cover 43 has a flange 44 fitting around the `posts 32, 33, 34 and 35 and eX- tending along, the back plate 13 and the upper edges of the glass plates 40, 41 and 42,

andthe cover is held in place by screws 45 and 46 inserted through the back part of -the lange and tapped into the posts 32 and 33, so that by removing the screws 45 and 46 the cover 43 may be removed and the plates 40, 41 and 42 removed if desired to provide access to the lamps 20 and 21 and the other parts within the frame, or to renew the glass. The lower cover plate 47 is substantially like the upper cover 43 and has shoulders 48 to support the plates 40, 41 and 42, and the cover 47 is held in place by cap screws 49 similar to the screws 45 and The upper halves of the plates 40, 41 and 42 are colored red and marked Right in black letters, and the lower edges of these plates are colored blue and marked Left in black letters so that in daylight the black letters will show without illuminating the lamps 20 and 21 and so that at night if the lamp 20 is illuminatedthe light chamber 30 will be illuminated to show a red back ground around the black Right letters,

`and if the lamp 21 is illuminated the light chamber 31 will be illuminated to show a blue back ground around the black Left letters, the partition 29 serving to separate the two light chambers.

As before suggested, the signal 2'is cori'- structed and mounted in the same manner as v6 the signal 1 already described.

Referring to the diagram shown in Fig.

6, the wires 26 -are brought to and attached to a common wire 50 and this wire 50 leads to a right handiswitch 51 mounted Alponfm the steering wheel 52. lln a like manner the' wires 27 are brought to and connected-'to a common vwire 50 leading to a left hand switch 53 upon the steering wheel. Switches 51 and 53 are connected as a branch to the main line 54 of the motor vehicle electric system, the main line 54 leading to an ammeter 55, a battery 56 to a ground 5T( which is the frame of the motor vehicle.

ln the practical operation the operator of the motor vehicle manipulating the steering wheel 52 will operate the switch 51 tov Oive the right signal or he will operate the switch 53 to givethe left signal. p

.'llhe object in using the contrasting colors red and blue is to attract attention to the lettering and to distinguish the right signal from the left signal evenat a distance where the lettering couldl not bedieninguished.

Various changes may be made without da parting from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

1; A trallie signal comprising a back plate, upper and lower heads extending from the back plate, posts mounted upon theupper and lower heads and formed with vertical confronting slideways, glass plates mounted in the slideways, an upper and a lower cover on ,the upper and lower heads, means removably securing said covers on the heads, a partition halfway between the upper and lower heads, means securing the partition between said heads and lamps secured in the upper and lower heads.

2. A traffic signal comprising a back Y plate, upper and lower heads extending from the back plate, posts mounted between the upper and lower heads and formed with vertical confronting slideways, glass plates mounted in thecslideways, an upper and a lower cover on the upper and lower heads, means removably securing said 'covers to the -said heads, a partition halfway between the upper and lower heads, means securing said partition between said heads, glass plates .being colored red above the partition and blue below the partition and the words Right appearing above the partition and Left below the partition, and lamps secured to the heads on the inside thereof.

In testimony whereof ll have signed my naine to this specification.

Brennan SMITH. 

